Not So Happy Birthday
by Nerdofall
Summary: Just a cute Leo centric story about Leo's birthday at camp halfblood and what goes on. A lot better than the summary! I am really bad at summaries sorry! One-shot


_**Sorry, I can't remember Leo's real age so I am just guessing 16! I hope I am about right!**_

**Not So Happy Birthday**

_Leo's P.o.v._

Wow, 16. 16 years since the day I was born, 16 years of life on this planet. That is quite an accomplishment for a demigod. But today I was not feeling happy, I was not in a party mood. All I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry. Today was my _least _favorite day of the year. My birthday was the one day that where ever I went, no matter where I was, she was always there. People say '_happy birthday Leo!' _or give me huge smiles that say _'today is your day, have fun!' _And that is exactly what she would do. Today was the day that all I could think about was my wonderful mom, and that the reason she wasn't celebrating with me was that I had killed her. My stupidity and recklessness had killed the person I was trying to save, the one important person in my life.

So, being me, I woke up at 5:00 AM, and tiptoed my way to the forge. All I wanted to do was build, build until my hands were covered in oil, grease and calluses. I worked on a little toy for Harley, a flying dove for Piper and a mini lightning bolt that zapped you when you pressed a button on the side for Jason. Then I came up with the perfect birthday gift for myself. A memory machine. Although I knew I would never forget my mom, maybe if I could actually see her I wouldn't feel so guilty and alone. It took about 3 hours and two bleeding hands to finish, but once I did I couldn't help but forget where I was and get lost in watching my mom smile at me and joke around. Obviously not knowing that I would kill her in the end.

This made me (and I hate to admit it) cry. It was a mix of guilt, loneliness and regret. I was like a very hormonal teenage girl. All of a sudden I hear the door to the forge open and a chorus of at least two dozen voices singing "Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to y-" But they were interrupted when they saw me looking at them, crying. I wiped away my tears so hard; I was practically hitting myself in the face. I ran up to the memory machine and shut it off, only then realizing that my hands were still bleeding, so I probably had huge crimson red streaks all around my eyes. I wiped my hands on my pants and stuck them in my pocket so no one could see the scratches, but I had a feeling I was too late. I put on my best Leo smile and said "Hey Guys! What kinda' cake did you get me?" looking at the forgotten cake with 16 candles and flames that spelt _Leo_, that sat in Nyssa's arms. They all stared back at me, bewildered. "Half-and-half. Half chocolate half vanilla, your favorite." Jason said in a monotone voice. Then he asked, this time with concern "Leo, what's wrong?" At this I decided Jason meant my hands.

"Alright you caught me," I said putting my hands up in surrender and smirking "I made a little something in my spare time for you, Piper and Harley and wanted to finish it up so I could give them to you today. I had a little misunderstanding with my tools, but we're on the same page now, I had a stern talking with them. Nothing a few band aids can't fix. " I said chuckling. Hmm, that works I thought, not my best cover up story, I'll admit, but it'll do. But they all looked right back at me, not buying it one bit. Just then my memory machine decided to turn itself back on. I frowned as I watched a little version of me giggling as my mom tickled me in her lap. I stumbled over my work bench to turn it off, but the button was jammed it wouldn't shut off.

"Turn off you stupid machine!" I growled as I kicked my creation, not noticing my friend come up behind me.

"Turn off!" I screamed, I could feel tears making their way down my cheeks; I tried to wipe them away but gave up once I knew that they weren't going to stop. I just kept kicking my stupid machine as the memory changed to a 4 year old me coughing as my mom took my temperature and kissed my forehead wiping away my bangs that had stuck there with the sweat from my fever. This is one of the first times I really remember being sick. I had caught the flu and had to stay at home for about a week. My mom had taken time off to stay home with me. She read me books; we watched movies, joked around and just enjoyed each other's company. Even a 4 year old me new her life was tough, and that was what I was there for, to be her jester and knight in shining armor whenever she needed me. And I failed her. When she had needed me most I couldn't save her.

I sat down on my work bench and watched her take care of me. And then, I just couldn't handle it anymore, I broke down. Right in front of Piper, Jason, little Harley, Nyssa, my whole cabin was there watching their leader break down and cry. I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see Jason looking at me sympathetically. Then he pulled me into the tightest hug ever, I didn't hug him back, I was too tired and sad to do anything. Pulled away and put me at arm's length, just to be pulled into another bone crushing hug by Piper.

"Leo, she would be proud of you." Piper whispered in my ear.

I pulled away. "How do you know?" I asked "She's dead… because of me." I mumbled the last part to myself, but by the way she looked at me I knew she had heard me.

"So that's why you're upset?" She asked, though it was more of a statement "Because you think your mom died because of you?"

"I should have been me," I said looking at my grease covered combat boots "the stupid dirt lady wanted me, but she had to go and get my mom instead. My mom was the nicest person you could ever meet. She never did one thing mean to anyone!" I found myself pacing around the room, yelling "And she had to die because a weird lady wanted to weaken me. So yeah, it's all my fault." I ended softly, standing in front of Piper, looking straight into her eyes.

"Leo, do you know how many more people would be dead if t wasn't for you? Jason and I included. You saved us on our quest more times than I can even count. The _Argo II_ wouldn't even be built without you! We wouldn't have had Festus to fly us around, so he would still be running loose in the woods destroying everything in his path, or he would have been destroyed himself." Piper said gripping my shoulders with amazing strength, "Leo we need you! We all need you! We are your family now, and nothing can change that." She said pulling me into another hug, this time I hugged her back.

"So you guys don't hate me?" I mumbled in her ear. She pushed me back a puzzled look on her face.

"Leo, why in earth did you think we would hate you?" She responded.

"Well, I always thought that once I told someone that I was the reason for my mom's death they would hate me and-" But I was interrupted by a certain little brother hugging my leg.

"Leo, you're my big brother, no matter what you do I will love you. That's just how a family works." Little Harley said as I picked him up and hugged him. "Isn't that right everybody?" he called out to the rest of my cabin. I heard my whole cabin yell in agreement.

"And for all its worth," Jason said "That counts for Piper and I too." He said to me and patted me on the shoulder. "You're my best friend, basically my brother, we're family." He smiled and hugged me. I looked to my cabin mates… no my brothers and sisters, and my best friends.

"Yeah" I said smiling widely now "family."


End file.
